The present invention relates generally to merchandising systems employed in retail stores. More particularly, it relates to an improved sign holder system which can be secured to both horizontal and vertical support surfaces.
Small products, such as packages of snack foods, batteries, household items, and the like are commonly displayed forwardly of the front edge of a horizontally extending shelf in supermarkets and other stores, with the shelves themselves being used to support other products. Gebka (U.S. Pat. No. 5,683,003) discloses a merchandise hanger which is attached by a laterally extending foot to a front portion of a horizontal shelf.
For improved visibility of, and accessibility to the products displayed on the hanger, it is convenient for products to be supported on a horizontally extending U-shaped member. An upper arm of the U-shaped member supports a label holder for displaying price information about the product. A lower arm or hook of the U-shaped member supports the products, which are suspended on the member via a hole in an upper portion of the product's packaging. Such holders are disclosed by Garfinkle (U.S. Pat. No. 4,303,217) and Barnes (U.S. Pat. No. 4,452,360). To provide support for the U-shaped member, these holders are attached by a bracket to a vertically extending pegboard.
Because such display hangers extend outward into the aisle of the store, they are prone to damage by accidental knocks from passing customers. Also, the products may be displaced from the hanger or damaged by the knocks. Perhaps more importantly, hooks protruding into a store aisle, and rigidly mounted, may injure a shopper walking down the aisle.
Accordingly, it has been considered desirable to develop a new and improved adjustable merchandising hook and label holder which overcomes the foregoing difficulties and others while providing better and more advantageous overall results.